Fans of Jun Mochizuki’s “The Case Study of Vanitas” can anticipate a new chapter arriving in December, as announced in Square Enix’s Gangan Joker magazine. The latest installment of the popular supernatural steampunk series is slated for release on December 22, appearing in the magazine’s January issue.
Return Amidst Irregular Serialization
The upcoming December release follows a period of irregular serialization for “The Case Study of Vanitas” manga. The series recently returned to publication in the August issue (released July 22) after an extended hiatus that began in May 2024. Author Jun Mochizuki’s health has been cited as the reason for previous breaks, with the manga experiencing a two-month hiatus starting in May 2024. Prior to that, the manga also went on hiatus in June 2022 and resumed in May 2023.
The October issue of Gangan Joker also featured a new chapter, indicating a more consistent, albeit potentially still intermittent, release schedule as Mochizuki manages her workload. The manga has been serialized in Square Enix’s Monthly Gangan Joker since December 2015.
The World of “The Case Study of Vanitas”
“The Case Study of Vanitas” is set in a richly imagined 19th-century Paris, blending elements of dark fantasy, steampunk, and the supernatural. The story centers on Noé Archiviste, a young vampire, and the enigmatic human doctor Vanitas, who wields “The Book of Vanitas” to heal cursed vampires. Their quest to save vampirekind often thrusts them into conflicts that threaten the delicate peace between humans and vampires.
Yen Press has been publishing the manga in English concurrently with its Japanese release, making the series accessible to a global audience. As of April 2024, eleven tankōbon volumes of the manga have been released by Square Enix in Japan. The series has also inspired a popular anime adaptation by studio BONES, which premiered its first part in July 2021 and its second part in January 2022.
Fans eagerly awaiting the continuation of Vanitas and Noé’s journey can mark December 22 on their calendars for the next chapter’s release.
